Pouring attachment for containers



Jan. 17, 1956 R. T. LARSSON 2,733,175

POURING ATTACHMENT FOR CONTAINERS Filed April 17, 1950 ll lll IIIIII lNVENTOR ROBERT T. LRRSSO N Mwn;

ATTORNEY United States Patent POURING ATTACHMENT FOR CDNTAINERS Robert T. Larsson, Springfield, Ohio, assignor to Harold E. Hamman, Dayton, Ohio Application April 17, 1950, Serial No. 156,257

2 Claims. (Cl. 222-567) This invention relates to attachments for receptacles and has particular reference to a guard or shield especially adapted for use with paint containers or similar receptacles.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a receptacle attachment which is unitary and which embodies an inverted conical-shaped guard or shield which is adapted to be detachably secured to paint containers and the like when open for use during mixing, stirring or pouring the material in the containers, which attachment may be economically produced in quantity, shipped or stored in flattened condition, and quickly and easily set up for use.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an attachment which is so constructed as to permit mixing or stirring of the material in the container without the material depositing in the top rim of the container, dripping on the sides or splashing about the ambient area of the container.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such an attachment for paint containers or the like which substantially increases the capacity of such containers making it possible to add additional materials or substances to the material, liquid or substances already in the container.

A still further object of the invention is to provide such an attachment having interlocking elements for engaging end portions forming the inverted conical-shaped guard or shield which provide a secure engagement which will not be accidentally separated during use.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an attachment which is readily adapted for use with varying diameters of containers, which is positive in operation, highly durable and serviceable.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such a container attachment which facilitates scraping off paint material from a paint brush and diverts same towards the central position of the attachment thereby preventing waste of paint material.

An additional object is to provide such a container attachment having an upstanding arc-like projection so constructed as to facilitate pouring materials out of the container.

It is also an object of the invention to provide such an attachment with an arc-like shaped cutaway which prevents trapping the material in a container during pouring.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

Reference is made to the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and in which like parts are designated by the same numerals.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a conventional type of paint container and paint brush, some portions of the container being broken away for clarity of illustration, showing a form of attachment in place thereon and constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of an attachment of the 2,731,178 Patented Jan. 17, 1956 .;invention showing the ends thereof secured into position;

and

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the blank from which an attachment of the invention is formed.

Referring in detail to the drawing, with particular reference to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the conventional paint container or paint can illustratively shown is designated by the reference character-A, and includes a customary annular top seal structure or ring B seamed or soldered onto its upper edge. The annular top or ring structure B of the container may be provided with a sealing groove or indent C which is formed within the area of the annular top adjacent to the periphery of the container A, for receiving a conventional snap-on lid or cover (not shown). The top of the inner side of the groove or indent C may be bent back or turned over, forming the closure edge D which provides a means for removably aflixing the unitary attachment E of the present invention to the container A.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the container A of the foregoing construction, has removably associated with it, a unitary container attachment generally designated by the letter B which desirably consists of a shield or guard unit of the form illustrated in Fig. 3 and which is set forth in detail. The attachment E is constructed from a relatively Stiff but bendable sheet material such as cardboard and as shown in Fig. 2 consists of a body portion or flat panel 10 made of a single blank of generally arcuate configuration, at one of whose end portions are connected projection, flap or tongue portions or tabs 11, each of which is adapted to be bent inwardly along the dotted lines 12 for use or remain flat or in alignment with panel 10 for shipment. The terminal end or outer edge portions of the flap portions or tabs 11 are terminally cut-away or rounded at 13 so that the end width of the free edge of the tabs 11 will be less than the Width of the engaging slots in the panel 10 hereinafter described.

The panel 10, as viewed in Fig. 3, also has relatively narrow spaced apart kerfs or slots 14 and 14 so that the tabs 11 may, when the bending over is accomplished as shown in Figs. land 2, be passed through the slots 14- to form a secure engagement which will not be accidentally separated.

On the side of panel 10, forming the upper marginal edge 15 thereof, there is provided an arcuately shaped extension 16, which facilitates pouring material from the container A, as for example, into another container or receptacle, when the attachment E is in the position shown in Fig. 1. Moreover, to prevent trapping of the material in the container during such pouring, there is also provided an arcuately shaped cutaway 17 on the lower marginal edge 18 of panel 10, as shown in Fig. 3.

The spacing of the lines 12 from the kerfs 14, and 14' is such that when the blank or section is bent into its frusto-conical condition illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the outside diameter at the lower or smaller end is less than the inside diameter of the mouth of the container A or the inside diameter of the edge D. On the other hand, the outside diameter at the top or large end of the guide is greater than the inside diameter of the mouth of the container at the edge D. Consequently, when the guide is inserted into the mouth of the container it will frictionally engage the edge of the mouth on a line intermediate the top and bottom of the guide. As clearly illustrated in Fig. l, the cutaway 17 formed in the marginal edge 18 extends toward the extension 16 and the top of the cutaway is arranged close to, but short of, the line of engagement between the pouring guide and the mouth at D so that no substantial amount of liquid in the container will be trapped between that portion of the guide which extends into the container and the walls of the container during pouring of liquid from the container.

By folding or bending the panel into a circular position so that the tabs 11 will pass into the kerfs or slots 14 and 14 and become securely engaged therewith, the inverted conical-shaped guard or shield attachment of this invention may be placed in the position shown in Fig. 1 and may be detachably secured to paint containers or the like by slight hand pressure exerted on the top marginal edge 15 after the conventional lid has been removed from the container, It has been found that when the attachment of this invention is thus pressed substantially in the upper portion of a container such as a paint can as shown in Pig. 1, that the body portion of panel 10 frictionally engages the circular closure edge D, thereby satsifactorily detachably securing the attachment to the container.

In this manner the capacity of the container is substantially increased by the attachment of this invention, facilitating mixing, blending or thinning of the material in the container without the material or adequate additions thereto depositing in the conventional groove or indent or splashing or dripping on the sides or surrounding area of the container. In addition, the arcuately shaped extension 16 permits pouring of the material in the container Without spilling, while the arcuately shaped cutaway 17 on the lower marginal edge of the attachment prevents trapping or blocking the material in the container during pouring. By employing a cheap cardboard or paper board material, the attachment may be used once and discarded, but, if desired, may be used effectively a number of times without noticeable deterioration.

The flat portion of the top or upper marginal edge of the attachment as shown in Fig. 1, provides a suitable scraper edge for removing excess paint material from the paint brush F, the excess paint material, because of the inverted conical shape of the attachment, being diverted towards the central portion of the attachment into the container, thereby preventing waste of paint material.

It will accordingly be seen that the invention provides a unitary attachment of simple construction for containers or similar articles, which can be quickly and easily formed from a single blank and which includes a highly suitable arc-like projection for pouring materials such as paint. The attachment is well adapted to mass production, since the cutting operation on the blank can be carried out in a simple and continuous manner by die-stamping operations from suitable sheet stock, the wastage of stock being reduced to a minimum. It will also be noted that the blank is of such configuration as to provide suitable space for advertising material if desired. In addition to these advantages, the attachment before use, may be maintained in a flat condition requiring minimum space for storage and shipping when empty.

While the article herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise article, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a hollow, frusto-conical pouring guide adapted to be inserted into the mouth of a liquid-containing container, the smaller end of the pouring guide having an outside diameter smaller than the diameter of said mouth and the larger end having an outside diameter larger than the diameter of said mouth whereby when the guide is inserted it will frictionally engage the mouth on an external line intermediate the small end and the large end of the pouring guide, said guide having a cutaway or recess in the edge of the small end thereof, said cutaway or recess extending toward the large end and terminating close to but short of said line whereby no substantial volume of liquid in the container will be trapped between the guide and said container during pouring of liquid from said container through said guide, said guide having an extension on the edge at the large end thereof arranged in alignment with the cutaway and forming a pouring lip or spout.

2. A device of the class described comprising a generally arcuate section of stiff, bendable sheet material adapted to be bent into generally frusto-conical form, kerfs in said section adjacent one end thereof, tabs at the other end of said section insertable through the kerfs to hold said section in frusto-conical condition, said section when bent being adapted to be inserted into the mouth of a container and having an outside diameter at the smaller end thereof which is smaller than the diameter of the mouth and an outside diameter at the larger end thereof which is larger than the diameter of said mouth so that when inserted said section will frictionally engage the mouth on a line intermediate the large and small ends thereof, there being an arcuate cutaway in the marginal edge of said section at the small end thereof extending toward the large end, said cutaway terminating close to but short of said line whereby no substantial amount of liquid will be trapped between said section and the container during pouring from said container, said section having an extension on the edge at the large end thereof arranged in alignment with the cutaway and forming a pouring lip or spout.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 313,191 Etheridge Mar. 3, 1885 719,820 Leigh Feb. 3, 1903 1,865,736 Astley July 5, 1932 2,022,601 McDonald Nov. 26, 1935 2,168,784 Scott Aug. 8, 1939 2,180,045 Gardner Nov. 14, 1939 2,180,581 Lisenberg Nov. 21, 1939 2,498,318 Violette Feb. 21, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 190,970 Great Britain Ian. 4, 1923 251,389 Italy Ian. 4, 1927 

